Editing v0.34:Calendar

! style="padding: 0.2em; background: #ccc; width: 10em; text-align: left" | Gregorian equivalent (northern hemisphere)

<nowiki>*</nowiki> If you are not at war with the Goblins then they will send caravans to you and you will be able to trade with them.{{verify}}

Civilizations will visit your fortress based on what season it currently is. Trade caravans for each race show up during the specific seasons each year, with the elves arriving during the Spring, the humans during the Summer, and the dwarves during the Autumn. No caravans arrive for the winter (with the exception of goblins, if your civilization is at peace with them), so it's smart to stock up on food and drink during the fall (or autumn to those of you more educated people).

Below is a list of 'Ages' that may occur, an explanation and their (possible) triggers, and their in-game descriptions. [[World_generation#World_Size|World size]] may affect how long an age lasts. Because the age is dependent on variables such as number of megabeasts, number of civilized creatures, etc., smaller worlds will tend to change ages more frequently. Conversely, larger worlds tend to be more age-stable.

==== Great Powers in Control ====

If there are more than 3 significant powers (historical figures with the [POWER] or [MEGABEAST]/[TITAN] [[creature token]]s) in a world when it begins, then it will progress through the ages of Myth, Legends, and Heroes. If there are 3 or fewer, then it will progress through the various Ages of Powers.

In larger worlds, the proliferation of [[necromancer]]s, [[vampire]]s, and [[werebeast]]s during world generation can cause the age to ''regress'' back to Myth, sometimes multiple times (and extermination of them does the opposite).

==== No Great Powers ====

Once there are no powers left in the world, the ages will proceed as follows.

;The Golden Age

:Less than 50% of all civilized creatures are [[Creature token|mundane]], but there is no single majority.

;The Twilight Age

:Between 50% and 90% of all civilized creatures are [[Creature token|mundane]].

;The Age of Fairy Tales

:Over 90% of all civilized creatures are [[Creature token|mundane]], but some non-mundane ones still remain. Toady One' quote from 2008 devlog: <blockquote>"I finally saw a world arrive at the Age of Fairy Tales, which happens if mundane creatures (ie humans) make up at least 90% of the world's civilized population with the requirement that there are still a few fantasy creatures lurking around. In this case, it was a kobold cave that their scouts never found. I guess all of the fairy tales were about people having their crap stolen."</blockquote>

;The Age of Death

:All civilized creatures are dead, and the world has passed through at least one Age of Twilight, Age of Fairy Tales, Age of (Race), Golden Age, or Age of Civilization.

;The Age of Emptiness

:All civilized creatures are dead, but the world never progressed beyond the Ages of Myth, Legends, Heroes, or Powers.

A world that ends generation in the Age of Death or the Age of Emptiness will only allow games to be started in [[Legends|Legends mode]] or [[Adventurer mode]].